In line with my newfound resolve to embrace a healthier lifestyle, I plan to join  a city-wide marathon that the city has organized in support of the Earth Hour.

This will be my first marathon, if ever, but I am unfazed, because for the past few weeks, I have been busily sweating it out at early dawn jogs with my parents.

And even when at times I feel like an old man (very, very seldom, but yes, I sometimes feel that way) I know that I can slug it out at the marathon. If anything, I am more concerned about my high school classmates, who also signified their intention of joining.

You see, some of my high school classmates already have certain physical afflictions as early as now, and as young as they are, endurance and stamina are already two things that they need to contend with.

I have a friend for example, who is suffering from arthritis pain, and I am just wondering how he will make it alive at the finish line without limping from the potentially debilitating pain.

Oh well, the things that we do for health and fitness.

As for me, I only have two prayers though:

First, that I finish the marathon (and with flying colors, if that’s not too much to ask, dear God);

And second, that aging-related afflictions distance away from me, because for crying out loud, I still need my youth at this point in my life, thank you very much.

Wish me luck!

Because we were bored and the rain drove us mad the whole day, my brothers and I decided it would do us some good if we watched a movie at the mall last night.

There were only three choices for us to watch: Pirates of the Caribbean, Kung Fu Panda 2, and a Tagalog flick, In The Name of Love.

On any normal day, I would have picked the Tagalog flick, if only for the bitching reviews that my close friends have given me about this particular movie. I am very picky with my movie choices (or so I think), but this movie stood out because they all chorused that it was one of the better films that Star Cinema has churned out for this year thus far.

But since it was a family night out with the siblings, we settled for Kung Fu Panda 2. I had not seen its first  installment, so I was a little bit adamant about watching its second offering.

But boy was it fun!

The initial pictures (I won’t be writing any spoilers here, because I myself have felt the pain of being crushed by spoilers, just kidding ) were visual spectacles of fine art and 3d innovation. The humor, too, was enough to keep the audience interested in what the characters were about to say. And the story was also all right — it’s Hollywood after all, duh — and in the end, as with all other formulaic mainstream films, it talked about redemption, personal life goals, and the realization of self.

In a word, I would say ‘cute’ is the apt description to the entire movie experience.

Next movie goal: Watch Kung Fu Panda 1.

One of the things that I am thankful for is that even when I am in my late 20′s already, a lot of people still mistake me for someone in his early 20′s.

My secret: vanity.

Seriously. I can be the vainest person you will ever meet. My friends know that, and to a certain extent, I am fully aware of the extent of my vanity, but most times, I am in self-denial that I am. Sounds twisted, ei? I myself am confused about this.

Whereas other people read oxytoxin reviews and other such material to improve how they look, I myself opt to go with the tried-and-tested methods for maintaining good facial skin.

For example, I try to get as much rest as I can, or I hydrate daily, or I try to come up with a healthy and balanced diet. Right now, for example, I am starting to avoid red meat, and increase my vegetable and fruit intake.

Yes, I may be vain, but at least this helps me take care of my appearance. I think, personally, that we all ought to do the same, regardless of what our age is, or how stressful our lives may be.

I am so happy!

Just last weekend, I was surprised to find out that one of my essays got published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, in the Young Blood section. Anyway, I wish to share what I had written there:

Lolo’s Souvenir (original link is at http://opinion.inquirer.net/5223/lolo%E2%80%99s-souvenirs)

THEY KEEP asking me what triggered it because I was with him when it finally caught up with him.

And most of the time, I just shrug the question off, and tell them that, perhaps, it was inevitable, mortality is something we need to confront as we age. But deep in my heart, I know, because I was the first to witness his surrender.

It was early evening, the distinct aroma of escabeche wafting through the room as I, alone inside my own, impenetrable bubble, was hammering away at an assignment from my online employer.

All of a sudden, the sound of breaking glass shattered my concentration. I rushed to where it came from, and there I saw him. The glass apparently had slipped from his grip. He was lying motionless, his eyes empty—and his face that of a defeated man.

From then on, his physical condition went on a downward spiral—it started with his loss of locomotor skills, then his speech abandoned him until, finally, he regressed back into infancy.

My grandfather, at age 84, became a heart-rending specimen of senility.

Sometimes when I looked at him, I just knew that he had drifted to some faraway world. Yes, he would give me longish gazes at times, but I could no longer see the real person inside the stoic exterior.

Prior to writing this, I had a clear idea of what I wanted to write about: I had wished to describe him down to his minutest endearing qualities: how he looked, how he was passionate about World War II and Manny Pacquiao, how very delicately he would prepare papaya slices for dinner, how he beamed with pride when telling  friends that one of his grandchildren was the batch valedictorian, so on and so forth.

But each time I tried to search for the adjectives to paint a clear, exact picture of him, I find myself at a loss  because, apparently, love is a beautiful abstraction, and words are never enough to describe the dictates of the heart.

But one day, as I was rummaging through his things, I just found myself in tears after realizing how his prized possessions had been reduced to a few belongings he had kept hidden from all of us.

One who was easily drawn to sentimentality, he kept a lot of mementoes in his room. That day, I saw his favorite hammer on top of his drawer, a blue ball cap that was hanging on his graying wall, a Vietnamese hat that my mom got him from Bohol, a solar-powered flashlight that rested on a monobloc chair, a walking cane beside his bed, even empty bottles of menthol rubs spread here and there, in disarray.

And there was the wooden box that he always kept locked, but not this time. I carefully pulled the lid open and peeked inside.

What instantly caught my eye was a packet of papers wrapped in plastic. When I unpacked it, there stared in my face two most beautiful things: a yellowing love letter from my grandmother before she passed away; and the kindergarten test paper, dated 1990, of a cousin that had a perfect score.

Lolo, even when most people think otherwise, I believe you can still come back. I love you, and we miss you so much.

The author has worked as a copy editor for a market research firm in Cebu for two years. This coming June, he plans to be enslaved by a law school.

At dinner last night, I received a  phone call from a friend who was hysterical and incoherent.

From the tone of her voice and the rushed conversation, I gathered she was embroiled in some kind of mess. And true enough, she almost broke down when she told me that earlier that day, someone hacked her Paypal account, and all the money that she’s been saving for a gadget was funneled out of her account.

The first thing I did was tell her to calm down and think about her withdrawals, because sometimes, these memory lapses happen. When she told me that she was certain there were no withdrawals made from the recent couple of weeks, I asked her to remember any online transactions that she had made prior to this event.

There, at once, she told me that she had been making purchases online, and that as a matter of fact, she bought an item from e-Bay a couple of days ago. And that each time she did this, she gave out all her online financial details.

This is where, I thought, she had become vulnerable to online thieves and vultures who prey upon unsuspecting online customers. For even when the internet has become the modern marketplace for the exchange of goods and services, it has also become a fertile ground for abuses and opportunism.

Instantly, I told her to report the incident to Paypal, look for a company that can help her deal with electronic pickpocketing, and be more careful when giving out her details online. But I seriously doubt that she would be getting her money back, because usually, these bad boys transfer these funds right away.

Le sigh.

The evolution of theft, and its damning repercussions. Tsk.

Recently, with the increased business activity of our family business, my dad purchased a stake truck. Personally, I feel very grateful for how things have been looking up so far, considering the great amount of uncertainty that we all felt when my dad was still testing the waters of the construction industry here in Dumaguete City.

Fresh from his retirement from the corporate world, my dad ventured into the construction business, working specifically in the waterproofing line of business. At first, everyone was wary about how he would handle things, most especially my mom (because let’s face it, he was a virgin in the industry back then). But later on, and after showing how adept he is in slugging it out in the dog-eat-dog nature of the construction business, things have finally picked up.

The prospects, as a matter of fact, have become so promising that my dad needed to have a stake truck to aide him in the deliveries and what-not.

He also plans to build a garage in our home, so the truck will be kept secure and safe when it is not in use. He prefers to have a steel building for the garage because, according to him, it can help him save on time and constructions costs.

Here’s to hoping for better days ahead.

These days, everyday is a ruckus. My brother, who has been a dog lover ever since we were kids, decided to buy 3 shih tzus. Needless to say, all of them are so cute and adorable, and everyday, we can’t help but play with them. Here’s a snapshot of Prince, Hershey, and Chuckie.

They’re so fluffy, I’m gonna die!

My grandson, who is the only grandson that I have at this point in my life, is nearing his third birthday. As early as now, I am already thinking about what to give him, because for his past two birthdays, I was not able to give him anything.

His parents, who were my close friends back in college, told me that as of late, Sam has been particularly interested in ball games. As a matter of fact, as young as he is, he has already become a fan of the Azkals, a group of young Filipino-British boys who have taken the football scene by storm.

I initially thought of buying him a pair of soccer shoes, but after much thought (read: financial considerations), I decided to get him soccer socks.

I hope he likes my gift, because if truth be told, I am lousy at thinking of the best gifts for people. Anyway, here’s to hoping my three-year old grandson will become a kick-ass soccer player later on.

The iPad that my brother gave me (from dubai, in exchange for oil) upon his arrival was way beyond what I expected it to be.

Normally, gadgets do not appeal to me, but since this was a gift, and it was pretty slick and sexy, I think I may be comfortable with being called a gadget junkie because of my iPad.

Normally, I just go with the utility of my present belongings. For example, my phone is there for text messages, occasional phone calls, alarm, and other important functions. And typically, I would not be needing another gadget that would have the same functions.

But iPad apparently makes you discard all your beliefs about modern technology, even when you had been so bent that you can live without them.

I love my iPad simply because I do — so much so that I am afraid this will be the start of my love story with gadgets. I get smitten pretty fast after all, and most of my attractions, through experience, seldom wanes.

My first date with my iPad will be tomorrow, and I intend to pepper it with love by looking for ipad accessories that can enhance its innate beauty (but believe me, it’s already beautiful as it is).

Gulp.

Will this be the start of my financial demise?

So last weekend, I was a traveling nomad once again.

The destination: Cebu.

For what? The entrance examination for my (future) law school.

Armed with a backpack and a resolve to ace the exam, I braved the turbulent waves and the long stretch of road that would ultimately lead me to my dream.

Prior to taking the exam, I did some research about how the exam will be. And after finding out that math was a big part of it, I started to become wary.

Math, after all, is my waterloo. It is my Achilles’ heel, my downfall, and my nemesis. Do you get the picture now? Okay, I will stop with all the cheesy allusions.

Anyway, during the day of the exam, we were briefed that the examination would take 2 hours and 50 minutes. So once she signified that we could start with the exam, I skipped the initial subsets and proceeded directly to math.

I was so caught up with the SOHCAHTOAs, polynomials, integers, and square roots that I failed to realize I wasted one hour and 30 minutes on math alone.

And right after I was done with math, three more subsets stared at me in the face.

Needless to say, I left around 40 to 50 items blank, because the time was too much pressure for me.

I left the venue with a shattered heart, and a disbelief that after all the times I’ve spent prepping for Math, it would be the other subjects that would bring me my downfall.

And as I wallowed in desolation, the rain washed the dry earth with its wet and salty tears.

I wish I could still get through.

Sigh.